Stepdaughter of a wealthy family? The little darling of a Beijing tycoon

Lin Wanqing's series of foolish and biased actions at the banquet tonight were all observed by Li Wenqian.

Seeing Lin Wanqing subconsciously condemn Shen Jingshu and force her daughter to apologize in public, the last bit of tolerance and expectation in her heart was completely exhausted, leaving only endless disappointment.

The car was eerily silent on the return journey.

The black Bentley smoothly drove into the night, the interior heavy and oppressive. Lin Wanqing was restless, glancing at Li Wenqian, who was resting with his eyes closed and saying nothing, her heart already in a panic.

She knew she had made a mistake tonight.

Too eager to settle things peacefully and too eager to preserve the so-called relationship between the Li and Mo families, without asking the reasons or distinguishing right from wrong, they immediately pinned all the blame on Shen Jingshu, and even forced their daughter to bow down and apologize to the Wang family in public.

Back at the Li family mansion, the lights were on, but a chill hung in the air.

Stepping into the living room, Li Wenqian finally stopped, turned around, his eyes indifferent yet imposing, and spoke softly:

"From now on, you don't need to attend any banquets that Jing Shu is in."

Lin Wanqing froze, looking up in disbelief: "Wenqian, you…"

"You still don't understand your place." Li Wenqian's voice turned colder. "Remember, Shen Jingshu is not just your daughter, she is also my daughter, Li Wenqian's daughter, the rightful heiress of the Li family. Every word and action she takes represents the face of the entire Li family."

"Does the mere Wang family deserve to make my Li family's young lady bow her head and apologize?"

"In tonight's matter, Jing Shu was in the right. The other party came to provoke us first and had malicious intentions. What was wrong with Jing Shu taking action to protect herself? Even if we take a step back and assume that Jing Shu was wrong, given the Li family's status, it's fine to fight. At worst, they can pay compensation afterward, which will be enough to shut up all the Wang family's mouths."

"But what about you?"

Li Wenqian stared at her intently, his tone cold and disappointed: "In front of all these powerful and influential people, you forced my Li family's daughter to apologize to a spoiled brat. If Jing Shu really bows her head tonight, tomorrow the entire high society in the capital will be saying—the Li family is easy to bully, and anyone can manipulate the Li family's daughter."

"You're not protecting the bigger picture; you're disgracing the Li family."

Lin Wanqing's face paled and her eyes reddened slightly as she hurriedly explained, "I didn't mean to! I was just afraid that things would escalate and something might happen at the Mo family banquet, which would affect the relationship between the Li and Mo families. I was doing this for the Li family..."

"For the sake of the Li family?" Li Wenqian chuckled softly, his voice full of helplessness.

He saw through her perfectly. Lin Wanqing came from an ordinary background and had limited vision; she was never capable of fulfilling the role of the matriarch of the Li family. In the past, he was tolerant and forgiving, only seeking stability for the family, and did not demand that she be adept at social maneuvering or skilled in dealing with powerful figures.

But he never expected that she would be so foolish.

They don't even understand the most basic principle of protecting their own.

They would even push their own biological daughter to take the blame and suffer injustice without hesitation.

Li Wenqian sighed wearily, "Fine, you've never been exposed to these social rules before, so I don't blame your deep-rooted timidity and desire for stability. But remember, from now on, your words and actions will no longer represent just yourself; you represent the matriarch of the Li family. Think thrice before you speak or act."

Lin Wanqing nodded hurriedly, her eyes filled with lingering fear and a desire to appease him: "I know I was wrong, Wenqian. I will definitely change in the future and never speak carelessly again."

Li Wenqian's tone softened slightly, but remained distant: "I'm not trying to be deliberately harsh on you, it's just that you disappointed me greatly tonight. Just how much prejudice and resentment do you harbor towards Jing Shu that you repeatedly wrong her without even understanding the situation?"

He paused for a moment, then directly set the rules: "Also, you don't need to interfere or worry about Jing Shu's marriage. She has her own opinions and her own vision."

Upon hearing this, Lin Wanqing immediately became anxious and retorted, "How can that be! I am her mother, and I naturally have the right to inquire about her life's most important matter! How can she be allowed to make a fuss about her marriage? The men I chose for her are all from wealthy families of equal standing and with impeccable backgrounds, which is far better than her casually dating outsiders!"

Li Wenqian's eyes turned completely cold.

He quietly looked at Lin Wanqing, who was eager for quick success and still oblivious to his mistakes, and said clearly, word by word:

"Those so-called rich young masters you picked are nothing compared to the person Jing Shu chose herself."

"You think you're doing this for her own good, but you're actually narrow-minded and shallow. Jing Shu's insight is a hundred times more discerning, far-sighted, and accurate than yours."

"From now on, you are not allowed to interfere in her relationships or her affairs in the slightest."

Lin Wanqing wanted to argue, but when she met Li Wenqian's authoritative gaze, all her words stuck in her throat, and she could no longer speak.

Only at this moment did she fully understand—

In Li Wenqian's heart, Shen Jingshu's importance had long surpassed that of his wife.

Li Wenqian understood everything perfectly.

His second son, Li Beichen, had previously hinted to him that Shen Jingshu's relationship with the Lu family member was far from ordinary.

With his life experience, he understands men's nature best.

That's a sign that you've completely taken it to heart and fallen deeply in love.

He saw it all clearly when he left.

The car that Shen Jingshu rode in last was Lu Jingxing's personal vehicle.

The tacit understanding and closeness between the two could not be hidden from discerning people.

If Lin Wanqing were to interfere with Shen Jingshu's feelings and arrange her marriage at will based on her limited perspective, she would offend not only Shen Jingshu, but also the entire Lu family.

He would never allow Lin Wanqing to act cleverly again, causing trouble for Shen Jingshu and making enemies for the Li family.

-

the other side.

The commotion subsided, and the banquet came to an end.

After tonight's series of absurd farces, framing, and reversals, Shen Jingshu was already exhausted, both physically and mentally.

She neither stayed with the Mo family nor wanted to return to the Li family.

The Mo family had just gone through a family scandal, and it was already awkward for her, an outsider, to remain at the scene.

As for the Li family, she didn't want to go back for the time being, and she didn't want to face Lin Wanqing's self-righteous words and narrow-minded attitude.

It's better to stay quiet and comfortable; going back to school is the best option.

-

Meanwhile, at the Mo family mansion.

The grand banquet came to a complete end, all the guests left, the splendor faded, and the room was filled with silence and desolation.

Inside the hall, only the core members of the Mo family remained.

Mo Xi remained kneeling upright in the center of the cold floor.

Old Master Mo sat upright in the main seat, his face solemn and dignified, exuding an imposing aura without anger.

Seated on either side were Mo Hanzhou, the eldest son of the Mo family, the second son and his wife, and even Mo Chu, who was usually neglected and ignored, sat quietly at the end.

Everyone in the hall was seated, except for Mo Xi, who knelt on the ground.

Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, her eyelashes were wet and stuck to her eyelids, her face was streaked with tears, and her delicate makeup was completely ruined.

My knees had been under pressure for a long time, and I was already experiencing a dull, piercing pain. Every bone in my knees felt sore and numb.

But since the old man didn't say anything, she didn't dare to move an inch, let alone get up.

Although Mo Hanzhou is the nominal head of the Mo family, the one who truly holds the family rules and suppresses the entire Mo family's foundation is still the old master Mo.

The old man's authority was the bottom line that no one in the entire Mo family dared to transgress.